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Thursday, July 18, 2013

Summer Camp-Oobleck!

This week for Summer Camp we’re going
to be making something that’s fun and entertaining for both kids and adults-we’re
going to be making Oobleck. Oobleck is based on the Dr. Seuss book “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” when the
King became bored with the weather and commanded a new kind of weather be
created. What ensued was a

gooey, green substance, Oobleck which rained down from the sky and wreaked
havoc on the kingdom Here at Summer
Camp, our Oobleck won’t wreak havoc with your kingdom but you will have a
fascinating substance where it is up to you to decide-is

Oobleck a solid or a
liquid or both.

Materials:

1
Cup Water

1.5-2
Cups Corn Starch (One box)

A
few drops of food coloring (Traditional Oobleck is green)

Bowl
and Spoon

oStart by pouring the water
into a bowl. Add the cornstarch a bit at a time

oKeep mixing until it has a
gooey consistency. We found it was
easier to mix the Oobleck with your hands, pulling from the bottom.

oWhen the Oobleck is just
right, slowly add in the food coloring.
It can be a bit challenging to get it mixed in properly.

oNow comes the fun-playing
with your Oobleck.

Things to Try With Your
Oobleck:

·Grab
a handful and squeeze it. Let it ooze and pour through your fingers

·Quickly
poke it with your finger-it’s hard and you won’t be able to poke through. Poke
slowly with your finger and it melts into the Oobleck

·Make
a puddle with your Oobleck and drag your fingers through it.

·Roll
the Oobleck into a ball. Notice that it is solid, but what happens when you
stop moving it? Does it stay solid or turn into a liquid?

·Put
it into a plastic container and shake it or bump it quickly against a
table-what happens to your Oobleck?

·Put
some of the Oobleck on a cookie sheet, place it on top of a speaker, and watch
it dance.

What
other things can you think of to try with your Oobleck?

Now the only question remaining is Oobleck a Solid
or a Liquid. The answer is Oobleck is neither-it is a non-Newtonian fluid. In
other words, Oobleck acts like a liquid when being poured, but acts like a
solid when a force is acting on it. You can grab it and then watch it in turn ooze
out of your hands. If you make enough Oobleck, you can even walk on it.

Tips:

·Store
Oobleck in an airtight container or Ziplock bag and stir occasionally.

·If you
do use food coloring, you may notice a little color left on your hands. Don’t
worry, the color goes away in a day or two.

·To
dispose of the Oobleck, mix it with a lot of hot water to make very loose
slurry and pour a small bit at a time down the drain with the hot water
continuing to run or just put into the garbage.

·If you
spill Oobleck, it eventually dries and turns back into Corn Starch and can be easily
be vacuumed.

Let us know what fun ways you
discovered to do with Oobleck!

Missed any of the previous Summer
Camp activities or want to do an activity again? Here’s the list of previous
activities that you can do with little or no prep that use items readily
available around your house. The best part, all are free or practically free to
do!

Gayle is a Disney Gal that loves churros for breakfast, still gets giddy with delight at the first sight of the “Disneyland next exit sign”, loves the overwhelming emotions and memories that come with each and every return to the Happiest Place on Earth and dreams of one day being the Captain of the Jungle Boat. To learn more about Gayle, click here

Suz it was definitely easy-didn't take more than 30 seconds to have it all mixed and ooey and gooey but warning, my fingers were green for several days. We still had a blast and once it dries, it just brushes right off your clothes! I'd love to see the rainbow colors!